


Something Dumbass This Way Comes

by rainbow_nerds



Category: Captain America (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Height Differences, I cannot emphasize eough how stupid they are in this fic, Idiots in Love, M/M, Minor Clint Barton/Natasha Romanov, Pre-Serum Steve Rogers, Second-Hand Embarrassment
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-10-01
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:13:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26747161
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbow_nerds/pseuds/rainbow_nerds
Summary: “We should do a couple’s costume!” he blurts out, and Bucky freezes in the doorway. He blinks twice, then closes the door and takes a step into the room.“A couple’s costume?” Bucky asks, and Steve braces himself, mentally willing the ignored assignment to grow a set of teeth and start eating objects on the desk so he could be provided with a distraction to allow himself to escape.“I, uhh. Yeah,” Steve replies, eloquently.“We aren’t a couple, though.” Bucky is staring at him blankly and Steve can’t feel his legs.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Steve Rogers
Comments: 47
Kudos: 167
Collections: SW101 Members' Holiday Fics





	Something Dumbass This Way Comes

**Author's Note:**

> Happy spoopy season! This is probably the most ridiculous thing I've ever written, enjoy!  
> Shoutout to [Jehans](https://archiveofourown.org/users/jehans/pseuds/jehans) for the title inspo!

Steve gets back to the dorm after his noon class to find Bucky in bed, scrolling through his phone with a textbook facedown next to him.

“Studying is going well, I take it?” Bucky looks up from his phone and shrugs resignedly.

“I tried. I failed. I moved on. Also, Tony’s throwing a Halloween party.” He holds out his phone and Steve drops his bag to cross over and sit on Bucky’s bed, looking at the invitation on the screen.

“You wanna go?” he asks, and Bucky shrugs.

“I guess. He’s going to be a nightmare about costumes though, we’ll have to actually make an effort.” 

“Ugh, yeah, probably.” They still joke about the party Tony had thrown their freshman year. He had sent Clint home to get changed because he had just put in a pair of vampire fangs, and Tony had taken it as a personal insult. “We’ll figure something out, I guess.” Steve flops back to lay next to Bucky, ignoring his own bed on the other side of the room. Bucky nudges him to make more space on the bed, then sits up.

“C’mon, let’s go get coffee and brainstorm costume ideas.” Steve stays where he is until Bucky climbs over him.

“I’ll buy you a pumpkin spice latte and a cookie if you get out of my bed.” Steve groans but sits up with a pout.

“White chocolate and cranberry?” he asks and Bucky rolls his eyes.

“Sure, yeah. Whatever you want. Can we go?” Steve sighs and nods, gesturing for Bucky to lead the way. They make their way to their regular coffee shop and Bucky orders for both of them while Steve claims the table in the corner by the window they had quickly decided was theirs the first time they had come here two years ago in their first month of college. By the time Bucky is back with their drinks and cookies, Steve has Pinterest open on his phone and is scrolling through costume ideas.

“Alright, so once we cut out anything blatantly bigoted, there really isn’t much here other than the kind of costume Tony would claim is too half-assed to be allowed into his party, honestly.” Bucky hums and pulls his chair around so he can see what Steve is looking at. He rests his chin on Steve’s shoulder and Steve suppresses a smile at the comforting weight of it. They stay like that, scrolling through various sites and coming up with less than nothing until their cups are empty and the cookies are nothing but crumbs. Bucky sits up straight and checks the time. 

“I guess we should probably study.” Steve sends a blank look towards Bucky.

"Isn't that what you were supposed to be doing all morning?" He asks, and Bucky grins innocently.

"But Stevie, you know I get so much more done when you come to the library with me!" Bucky gives Steve puppy dog eyes and he caves immediately.

"Fine. I'll study with you for an hour, then I need to have a nap, alright?" Bucky beams. Steve follows him back to their dorm first to pick up some books, then back across campus to the library.

They sit side by side at the table, Steve trying to study but being consistently distracted by the way Bucky twiddles his fingers or mumbles under his breath as he tries to work out something in his textbook.

He nudges him with his foot to make him stop but Bucky just hooks his ankle around Steve’s and keeps it there.

The thing is, they aren't  _ dating _ .

They share a room and spend most of every day together. They don't have any sense of personal space when it comes to each other, cuddling when they watch a movie and eating from each other's plates, but they aren't dating.

The thing is, they've been friends for so long at this stage that there never seems to be a good moment to bring up the fact that their feelings have evolved beyond friendship, even though Steve knows that's what he wants. 

Bucky glances up and catches Steve looking at him. He smiles warmly and nudges him, elbow remaining pressed into Steve's arm.

They aren't dating, even though he's pretty sure that it's what Bucky wants, too.

Two hours later — Bucky having successfully negotiated for extra time in the library — they head back to the dorm, and Steve flops into bed. 

"Wake me up when it's time for food again mmkay?" Bucky snorts and throws a blanket haphazardly on top of him.

"Sure thing, princess, gotta get your beauty sleep." Steve's hand appears from under the blanket, middle finger extended, and Bucky laughs out loud.

The hand stays like that until Steve falls asleep.

Steve’s in class the next day, thinking about how Bucky had looked sprawled out in bed, face smushed into his pillow and hair fanning out around his head. He’s supposed to be taking notes on the different techniques used by early twentieth century commercial artists to convey light and contrast, but instead he finds himself absently doodling in the margins of the page.

A dimpled chin with a pair of full, plush lips takes form towards the top of the page. An eyebrow, one single curl falling over it and brushing against the lashes of an eye closed peacefully in sleep finds its place in another free spot. It is followed by more doodles; a hand holding a coffee mug; the curve of a back with freckles dotting it in a familiar pattern, the sharp jut of a hipbone peeking out from the waistband of a pair of dark jeans. Steve blinks and looks up from the page, realizing he had spent more than half of the class doodling and not paying attention. 

He has to turn to a new page, attempting to pick up the thread of the lecture and to understand what is being said. The professor is showing a side by side comparison of two illustrations, and Steve’s eye is drawn to the one on the left, once again losing the thread of the material being taught to him. 

An idea begins to form in his head, and he smiles to himself just as the professor wraps up and gives out an assignment which Steve knows he has no chance of completing properly, given he heard maybe five minutes of the material in class. He doesn’t care though, trying to figure out the best way to suggest the idea to Bucky without making it seem weird.

He thinks about it all the way back to the dorm, and while he stares blankly at the assignment before tucking it away to worry about the day before it’s due. He has an idea of how to broach the subject slowly coming together in his mind by the time Bucky gets back from class, and Steve decides to go for it.

Unfortunately, Bucky walks in wearing those jeans — the dark ones which cling to every inch of his legs, and he’s paired them with the grey shirt which is made of what Steve assumes to be the softest fabric known to man. It’s a lot to take in, and all of Steve’s carefully planned methods for slowly bringing Bucky around to the idea vanish at the sight.

“We should do a couple’s costume!” he blurts out, and Bucky freezes in the doorway. He blinks twice, then closes the door and takes a step into the room.

“A couple’s costume?” Bucky asks, and Steve braces himself, mentally willing the ignored assignment to grow a set of teeth and start eating objects on the desk so he could be provided with a distraction to allow himself to escape.

“I, uhh. Yeah,” Steve replies, eloquently.

“We aren’t a couple, though.” Bucky is staring at him blankly and Steve can’t feel his legs. 

He had wanted to start by suggesting one costume idea was easier than two. Sprinkling in some suggestions of how it would just make sense for them to team up on their costumes. Letting that idea float around, settle in before bringing up his actual idea and letting the natural progression of the conversation  _ suggest _ the “couple” aspect. 

He blames the shirt. Fucking soft fabric that makes him itch to run his hands over Bucky’s torso and feel the hard muscle underneath, the way he would— shit. Steve tries to jerk out of the daydream, remembering Bucky is  _ right there _ and  _ staring at him. _

“Right. Yeah. We aren’t a couple. I know.” Steve can feel his voice about two octaves higher than it normally is while he scrambles for any reasoning for saying that the way he did. Finally, he gives up, bites his lip and closes his eyes, taking a sharp breath before deciding  _ fuck it. _

“I was just wondering, maybe, we could become one? Because I had a great idea for a couple’s costume, and also I might be a tiny bit in love with you.” 

All the blood rushes from his face. Why hadn’t he just kept his mouth shut? His head is spinning and he feels Bucky staring at him. Taking a step forward, closing the distance between them. Steve forces himself to look up, to take in the expression on Bucky’s face.

It’s confusion, and it’s surprise, but there’s no discomfort, none of the revulsion he had expected to see.

“You want to become a couple?” Steve nods helplessly. “Not just because of a costume?” Steve shakes his head.

“Is that okay?” Bucky nods, and Steve sees the moment he realizes that this is actually happening because the confused expression makes way for a bright smile, and he keeps nodding his head, looking at Steve as though he’s a mirage which might disappear at any moment. He keeps nodding and smiling until he begins to resemble a bobblehead dog in the back window of a car driving down an unpaved country road.

Steve reaches out and puts his hands on either side of Bucky’s face, stopping the nodding.

“That’s a yes then?” Steve feels Bucky try to nod again, head shifting between his hands. 

“Yes,” he replies aloud instead. “I might be a tiny bit in love with you too.”

Steve already has his hands cupped around Bucky’s face, so he does the only thing he can do in that situation, and pulls him forward and down, reaching up himself until their lips are barely a centimeter apart. He can feel Bucky’s breath mingle with his own. They teeter there on the precipice for a moment, then two, and Steve can feel every point of contact between them; Bucky’s face between his hands, the brush of their noses, Bucky’s hands where they have come up to rest on his own arms.

There's a pause which feels infinite, and Steve isn’t sure who moves to close the distance between them — maybe their mouths were just pulled together by some magnetic force, but their lips brush together with the faintest of touches and it sends a jolt through Steve. He feels Bucky’s hands tighten on his arms and his lips press more insistently against his own.

Steve gasps and meets Bucky with equal enthusiasm, moving his hands from his face to wrap his arms around his neck instead. He feels Bucky’s tongue flick out and opens willingly, unashamed of the soft whine that escapes at the soft warmth of Bucky’s tongue brushing against his own. Steve can feel a crick beginning to form in his neck but he doesn’t care. He presses himself closer to Bucky and loses himself in the sensation of the kiss.

Bucky’s lips are soft, and he has a slight stubble on his chin which scratches against Steve’s face. Bucky’s arms slip around his waist and, even though touch is nothing new between them, even though Bucky has put his arms around Steve’s waist no fewer than a dozen times in the past week, Steve feels electricity course through him at the touch. The movement brings them chest to chest, exaggerating their height difference and Steve strains upwards.

They don’t pause, just pull back enough that they can breathe while their lips stay in contact before diving back in. This time, though, Bucky moves. He holds Steve close, kissing him insistently and Steve barely notices that he’s moving until the angle of the kiss changes and his neck breathes a sigh of relief as Bucky sits on his bed. Steve pulls away just enough that he can look at Bucky properly, and sees his own dazed giddiness reflected back in Bucky’s eyes. 

He surges in for another kiss, the new angle from where he’s now standing between Bucky’s legs giving Steve more control, allowing him to finally run his hands over the soft fabric of Bucky’s t-shirt as he had wanted to do before, now that his arms aren’t being used to anchor himself up to reach Bucky. He brushes a spot where he knows Bucky is ticklish and Bucky responds by nipping gently at his lip. Steve gasps and repeats the movement, and Bucky bites down harder, surprising a moan out of Steve.

Bucky sucks Steve’s lip into his mouth and Steve clenches his fist, gripping Bucky’s shirt like a lifeline as he feels Bucky’s teeth holding his lip captive, his tongue running over it softly before releasing it. Steve crowds closer to Bucky, removing the few inches of space which were gained in the shift from standing in the center of the room to here.

It’s hot, and insistent, and everything Steve had imagined kissing Bucky would be like. Steve changes the angle and smiles against Bucky’s lips, feeling a puff of air which he recognizes as Bucky laughing with happiness. The kiss turns from insistent to relaxed, tongues languidly exploring each other’s mouths and arms embracing.

One of Bucky’s hands has snuck its way part way under Steve’s shirt, and it’s completely still apart from one thumb stroking over the skin of Steve’s back. It’s tender, and grounding, and Steve’s attention is fixated on that one point of contact above all the others.

He isn’t sure how long they kiss for, just that when they finally break away they’re both breathing heavily, lips red and swollen and eyes bright. Steve feels the skin on the lower half of his face tingle with beard burn, but he can’t bring himself to care as they remain in their embrace, foreheads touching and looking into each other’s eyes while smiling breathlessly.

“Steve?” Bucky asks, and Steve blinks and pulls back enough to see all of Bucky’s face, becoming distracted by the slight haze in his eyes and the darkness of his lips from the kiss.

“Yeah?” He’s still a little breathless, unable to stop smiling, and Bucky leans forward to peck him on the lips again before continuing.

“What was the idea? For the costume, I mean.” Steve jumps back to his bag and starts looking in it, leaving Bucky to blink after him.

“Right! Yes. I was in class and the professor was talking about early twentieth century com—”

“Steve, is this going to be some weird art nerd thing nobody but other art nerds are going to get?” Steve turns back with a flush. 

“Well, maybe, but it’ll be good, I promise! Even if people don’t get it it’ll be obvious they’re well thought out costumes, right?” Bucky raises an eyebrow and Steve returns with his book, flipping through until he gets to the right page and sitting pressed against Bucky to show him the page.

“It’s a painting.”

“It’s a Leyendecker. I was daydreaming in class, and I looked up and it was up there on the screen, and I just, well… I mean it’s fine, obviously. If you don’t want to do this costume I don’t mind, as long as we can keep the couples part?” Steve bites his lip and Bucky puts down the book, turning to slide a hand up Steve’s thigh.

“I mean, Whatever costume you want is fine by me. As for the other thing, that depends…” Steve’s brows knit together in question. “What were you daydreaming about?” Steve laughs with relief and pushes forward to kiss Bucky again, the force of the movement tipping them over to lie on the bed together.

“You’re a jerk.”

“You’re a dumbass, but I’ll do the costume if you can get your hands on a pair of tuxes I guess?” Steve props himself up on his arms and looks down at Bucky sprawled on the bed underneath him.

“Deal.” He lowers himself and claims Bucky’s lips again. This time he lets himself savor it. It’s softer, and interrupted by giggles they just can’t hold back. Steve turns his head, nosing along Bucky’s jaw until he catches on a point which makes Bucky gasp. Steve feels his hands clench on his hips and he grins. He’s looking forward to figuring out this side of Bucky.

Steve texts Tony the next day, asking where he might find a pair of tuxedos but deciding not to let anything slip about the specifics about the costume. He and Bucky had decided not to announce the change in their relationship, but rather to surprise their friends at the Halloween party to see their reactions.

He gets the reply almost immediately, Tony saying he probably has some at home they could borrow. Steve tried not to feel offended when he implies the one he had worn in middle school would probably fit Steve while Bucky could have a more recent one. He brings the news back to Bucky, who smirks and pulls him close.

“You know what? The more I think about you in a tux, the more I like this dumb pretentious costume idea.” Steve snorts, but he has no choice but to agree when he pictures Bucky in the outfit. Tony drops off the tuxes and they try them on the day before the party. They don’t fit perfectly, but Steve can’t tear his eyes away from Bucky in the crisp white collar and vest, jacket slightly snug around the arms.

Bucky seems to be equally compromised, reaching out to adjust Steve’s bowtie with an air of reverence.

“Yeah, definitely like this idea, actually.” Steve clears his throat and turns away before he rips the shirt off of Bucky

“As much as I hate to say it, I think you need to shave for this.” Bucky turns to the mirror with a frown and runs his hand over the stubble on his cheek.

“Yeah, you’re right. I’ll do that tomorrow.” Steve meets his eyes in the mirror and catches him licking his lips, which sends a shiver through Steve.

“We should take these off. Don’t want to spoil them, you know?” Bucky quirks an eyebrow, making Steve blush. “You know what I meant, you asshole.” Bucky laughs and nods, pressing a kiss to Steve’s brow before starting to remove the tux. He sends a suggestive look over his shoulder while he unbuttons the shirt, and Steve doesn’t even try to resist the blatant invitation.

The next day they get dressed carefully, the tuxes thankfully still in a good condition and Steve can’t stop running his hands and lips over Bucky’s freshly shaven face. They slick their hair back, then Bucky turns to Steve with an eyebrow pencil and a smirk.

“If we’re being faithful to the facial hair, then you need a moustache.” Bucky crowds him against the wall, and Steve tilts his head up while Bucky draws on his upper lip. His eyes fall closed and he lets himself enjoy the proximity. When Bucky finishes, Steve opens his eyes and looks up at him through his lashes. He licks his lips and surges forward but Bucky just bursts out laughing. Steve is taken aback until Bucky turns him around to look in the mirror, and Steve cracks up at himself.

“Remind me never to grow an actual moustache,” he comments, before turning back to Bucky. “Ready to go?” Bucky nods and grabs the white gloves from his bed before following Steve out the door.

Wearing a tuxedo on a college campus is a strange feeling, but when they get to Tony’s building it feels a lot more natural — Steve is used to feeling underdressed in the luxury surroundings, but for once he actually feels like he isn’t trespassing. They get in the elevator and arrive at Tony’s large apartment to find the party already in full swing. Natasha greets them, dressed as Lola Bunny. Steve assumes Clint is somewhere dressed as Bugs.

“You two scrub up well,” she comments, not batting an eyelid at the way their hands are linked. Steve glances at Bucky incredulously, who shrugs. They find Sam — dressed in a Jedi costume — who gives them a once over and immediately gets the reference. 

“This is perfect, oh my god. I need to get a picture of this!” He leads them over to the side of the room where they sit on two chairs pulled together. Steve rests his elbow on the arm of the chair and brushes his fingers over the fake moustache while Bucky leans in towards him. Steve drops his eyes to Bucky’s lips and relishes the faint blush which begins to spread over Bucky’s cheek. There’s a flash and Sam turns his phone to show them the picture, a perfect recreation of the original painting. Sam doesn’t comment on their obvious flirtation either.

Steve decides to ramp it up a little, putting an arm around Bucky when they find Tony and thank him for the tuxedos. He seems to be a few drinks in, just gives them a thumbs up and a warning not to spill anything but clear liquor on them and shoves a tray of vodka shots at them before wandering off. 

“This isn’t exactly the reaction I expected,” Bucky whispers into his ear, and Steve nods, biting his lip. He takes a shot, passing another to Bucky.

“Have they just not noticed? Do we need to be more obvious about it?” Bucky takes his shot and focuses his gaze on Steve’s face.

“I’m game if you are.” Steve grins and pulls Bucky into the middle of the room where people have carved out a dancefloor. They dance flush against each other for a few songs, drawing no attention to themselves apart from a compliment on their costumes from a stranger. 

They get bolder as the night progresses, Steve sitting on Bucky’s lap while they talk to Thor (dressed as He-Man), Bucky hugging Steve from behind and nuzzling his neck when they find Clint, dressed as expected in a Bugs Bunny costume.

There’s still no reaction by the time the party begins to quiet down, most of the crowd having dispersed and leaving just their friend group hanging around in the living room. Steve watches Bucky telling a story about one of his classes, and when he finishes talking, he leans over and cups his face, pulling Bucky down to press a chaste kiss to his lips. Bucky smiles and kisses him back as the conversation carries on without them. Steve pulls away and looks around at their friends.

“Seriously? Nothing?” Bucky snorts at his outburst, Nuzzling his face into Steve’s hair. 

Sam glances over at them and shrugs, before looking to Natasha with a puzzled expression.

“What is up with you? I complimented your costume already, right?” Steve blinks at him, dumbfounded, then looks at Bucky to find him equally confused. 

“Why has nobody commented on the fact that Bucky and I are together?” Bucky smiles and pulls Steve tighter and it sends a thrill through Steve.

“What the fuck are you talking about?” Tony asks. Bucky shifts, not letting go of Steve, but moving his face so his voice isn’t completely muffled.

“Steve and I have been all over each other, and none of you have said anything.”

“Alright, I’ll bite,” sighs Natasha, “What should we be saying, exactly?”

“Oh, I don’t know, something along the lines of ‘ _ Hey, two of my best friends, I see you are clearly acting like more than friends right now, when did that happen? _ ’” Steve says, rolling his eyes, but then frowns when the others just look more confused.

“Is this a joke? I thought you guys got together at the end of last semester?” Steve’s eyes widen, and he gapes at Sam incredulously.

“No, no it was valentines day right?” Clint counters, “They did that thing with the confetti?” Sam nods as though in agreement, but Tony shakes his head.

“Guys, no, It was over winter break! That thing with the mistletoe, right?” Steve turns to Bucky, and finds him looking back. He opens his mouth to say something but Natasha interrupts.

“You’re all wrong! Remember last year, when we went to the haunted house for Halloween? They didn’t let go of each other all night then stayed in the same bed?” Everyone nods in agreement, while Steve and Bucky stand blank-faced, staring at them.

Steve gulps.

“Hey, Buck?” Bucky hums in acknowledgement. “Have we been dating for a year without realizing it?” Bucky frowns and clears his throat.

“Uh.. Happy anniversary, apparently?” He winces, and turns pink. The combination of his awkward tone with their friends’ incredulous expressions causes Steve to burst into laughter, and Bucky follows not far behind.

“Happy anniversary, you dumbass,” Steve manages to gasp out between laughs, clinging to Bucky’s lapel as the tears of mirth begin to roll down his cheek.

“Not as much of a dumbass as you,” retorts Bucky.

“Are you seriously telling me you two  _ just  _ figured it out?” Sam asks, and it sets Steve off again just as his laughter was beginning to subside. It takes him a full five minutes to regain enough composure to turn to Bucky.

“I love you, you absolute moron.”

“Love you too, idiot.” Steve leans up to kiss Bucky sweetly through his laughter, and then turns to the others.

“Okay, we’re going to head out now. It’s our anniversary, apparently, and we have an entire year to catch up on.” He takes Bucky by the hand and pulls him towards the door. He doesn’t miss Natasha’s deliberately loud whisper which follows them out.

“Thank fucking god they found each other. I don’t think anyone else would be able to tolerate that level of stupid.”


End file.
